2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Review
Price Estimate: $2,549 - $3,919





+120
Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Smooth and quiet ride
- standard voice-activated electronics interface
- affordable price.
Cons
- Indifferent engine power
- far from sporty handling
- limited cargo capacity.
What’s new
For 2012, the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport sees a handful of minor improvements. Highlights include an available rearview camera for the base SE trim, additional sound insulation for models with a continuously variable transmission and a recalibration of said CVT to improve response and acceleration.
Edmunds says
Though it's an agreeable urban runabout, the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is outclassed by other small crossovers that are either more practical or more fun to drive.
For sale near West Warwick, RI
20 listings
- $5,995fair price$169 above market
- 153,085 miles
- No accidents, 1 owner, personal use only
- 5 Seats, 23 City / 28 Hwy MPG
- Wholesalers Unlimited (87 mi away)
- AWD/4WD
- Bluetooth
- Upgraded Headlights
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- USB Inputs
Close
Located in Auburn, NH
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
25 Combined MPG (23 City/28 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: JA4AR4AU8CZ003872
Stock: 061925A9
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 06-19-2025 - 86,601 miles
- Insurance loss reported, 4 owners, personal use
- 5 Seats, 23 City / 28 Hwy MPG
- Toyota Universe (151 mi away)
- AWD/4WD
- Bluetooth
- Upgraded Headlights
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- USB Inputs
Close
Located in Little Falls, NJ
Toyota Universe is excited to offer this great-looking 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport in Black. This vehicle has been through our award-winning facto...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Issue reported
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
25 Combined MPG (23 City/28 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: JA4AR4AU1CZ000571
Stock: CZ000571
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 06-21-2025
Vehicle overview
At first glance, the naming of the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport seems to make sense. This compact SUV looks the part of an automotive athlete with its aggressive, Lancer Evolution-inspired front-end styling and semi-crouching stance. But sadly, there's really not enough under the buff body to justify the "Sport" portion of this model's moniker.
On paper the Outlander Sport looks promising, as it is loosely based on the Mitsubishi Outlander, a crossover SUV we've praised in the past for its agile handling. Baby brother Sport is 14 inches shorter, 2 inches lower and as much as 700 pounds lighter, all favorable factors that should add up to increased agility and performance. But in the real world we've discovered that these would-be advantages yield nothing particularly beneficial.
The Sport's lighter weight would be an advantage if it could be had with the bigger Outlander's more powerful engine choices, but the Sport only comes with the 148-horsepower inline-4 borrowed from the Lancer sedan. And when it's coupled to the CVT, the end result is lackluster acceleration. The Sport's handling will likely be fine for most folks, but those looking for performance that matches the Sport's name and looks will wish for less body roll and more grip during spirited cornering.
If you forget about the "Sport" part, this Mitsubishi is pretty agreeable. It provides a smooth, quiet freeway ride and comes with a fair number of features for relatively short money. But pitted against other compact crossovers, the Outlander Sport doesn't really make the cut. Other similarly sized runabouts, such as the Kia Sportage, Mini Cooper Countryman and Nissan Juke are more enjoyable to drive thanks to superior performance and handling. And if you'll be frequently hauling luggage or cargo, more mainstream models like the Chevrolet Equinox, Honda CR-V and even the regular Outlander are going to be more practical and useful overall.
Performance & mpg
Powering the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is a 2.0-liter inline-4 engine that produces 148 hp and 145 pound-feet of torque. The standard transmission offered in the ES is a five-speed manual. A CVT is available as an option and is standard on the SE models. Front-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel drive available on the SE. As with the regular Outlander, AWD models feature three driver-selectable modes to optimize traction.
In Edmunds testing, a front-wheel-drive Outlander Sport with a manual transmission accelerated from a standstill to 60 mph in 8.8 seconds. We've yet to test this year's Outlander Sport with the updated CVT, but prior to this it turned in a pretty mediocre performance with a 10.3-second time. The EPA estimates fuel economy at 25 city/31 highway mpg and 27 mpg combined for a CVT front-wheel-drive model. The manual earns 24/31/26 mpg, while the AWD comes in at 23/28/25 mpg.
Safety
Standard safety features on the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport include front side airbags, side curtain airbags, driver-side knee airbag, four-wheel antilock disc brakes, hill start assist, traction control and stability control.
In government crash testing, the Outlander Sport received four out of five stars for overall crash protection, with four stars for frontal-impact protection and four stars for side-impact protection. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash testing, the Outlander Sport scored "Good" (the highest possible rating) in the agency's frontal-offset and side-impact tests.
In Edmunds brake testing, an AWD Outlander Sport came to a stop from 60 mph in 123 feet, a good number for this segment.
Driving
Despite its name, the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport offers little in the way of sportiness. Acceleration is passable, but often you'll find yourself wishing for more power when entering highways and passing. Handling is similarly disappointing, with noticeable body roll that does little to instill driver confidence or fun. To its credit, the Sport does have a smooth and quiet ride, making it an acceptable companion on long road trips.
Interior
The 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport's interior offers little in the way of visual excitement or impressive materials. Fortunately, front passengers of average size will likely find a comfortable seating position thanks to well-shaped seats, plenty of head- and legroom and a tilt-and-telescoping steering column for the driver. Taller drivers may be a bit squished. The rear seats have slightly less room, but an average-sized adult should be comfortable enough.
The controls are within easy reach and simple in operation, and the Fuse voice activation system makes some audio and navigation functions a hands-free affair. Even more surprising is that the Fuse system is standard on all Outlander Sports. Less impressive is the Sport's limited cargo capacity -- maximum cargo capacity is just 49.5 cubic feet.
2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport models
The 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is a compact crossover SUV that is offered in two trim levels: the base ES and SE.
Standard features for the ES include 16-inch steel wheels, heated mirrors, cruise control, keyless entry, air-conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, cloth upholstery, 60/40-split-folding rear seats, Mitsubishi's Fuse voice-activated electronics interface and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player, an auxiliary audio jack and an a USB/iPod interface.
The SE adds 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic xenon headlights, foglights, automatic wipers, automatic climate control, keyless ignition/entry, a sliding armrest between the front seats, a second-row armrest with center pass-through, upgraded upholstery and a six-speaker stereo. All-wheel drive is only offered on the SE model, and it comes along with heated front seats.
Most options are grouped together into packages that are available on any Outlander Sport trim level. The Navigation package includes a navigation system, a rearview camera and an RCA-style audio/video jack. The Exterior Sport package adds several cosmetic and aerodynamic elements, while the Interior package (available on models with automatic transmissions only) adds piano-black interior trim and an aluminum shift knob. Stand-alone options include 16-inch alloy wheels for the ES, a hard-drive-based navigation system, remote ignition and the six-CD changer.
Available on the SE AWD is a Premium package that includes a panoramic sunroof, roof rails, a rearview camera (with display integrated into the rearview mirror) and a nine-speaker Rockford Fosgate audio system with a six-CD changer and satellite radio.

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Compare 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport trim levels
Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in Rhode Island
$141/mo for Outlander Sport ES
Outlander Sport ES
vs
$168/mo
Avg. Compact SUV
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Reliability Ratings by RepairPal
3.5 out of 5 stars3.5/5Above Average
#19 out of 29 among Compact SUVs
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
$541/yr
vs. $465/yr
for Average Compact SUV
for Average Compact SUV
Frequency
0.72x/yr
vs. 1x/yr
for Average Compact SUV
for Average Compact SUV
Severity
17.3%
vs. 11.5%
for Average Compact SUV
for Average Compact SUV
powered by RepairPal
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Owner Reviews
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
Great value for money
4.63 out of 5 stars0ffroader, 05/06/2011
2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SE 4dr SUV 4WD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
I've been looking for a CUV for around two years
to replace my 15 year old sedan. I was leaning towards an Escape Hybrid, but while researching fuel efficient CUVs, I ran into a USNEWS article that described this as the best CUV for the money. I'm glad I test drove one. All profesional reviews blast the "performance" of this, but unless you're into sports cars and like driving really … fast and making quick getaways from traffic lights, it doesn't matter. I don't plan speeding tickets into my budget either and usually drive around the limit with my small kid in the back. This car is perfect for a small family. The rear isn't too roomy, but is adequate.
I'm glad I didn't trust Edmunds review
5 out of 5 starsshipleyclan, 07/20/2012
2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SE 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
It's unbelievable to me that Edmunds "professional" editors give this excellent car an average rating. The Outlander Sport, which is different from the bigger Outlander CUV, boasts top safety ratings from the insurance institute and the government, very agreeable handling and acceleration, eyecatching styling, and high build quality. The drivetrain is smooth. It's not a race car, but … it's got eager power and makes a comfortable ride. The value for the price is excellent. Sure it's no BMW or Volvo but buck for buck this is an unbeatable car for every day driving fun. I really love this car, every bit of it.
Something to think about.
4.75 out of 5 starssoaks, 06/09/2012
2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport ES 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
I've had 4 other Mitsubishi auto's and I've never had a problem with one of them...
I now own Outlander Sport ES.
I've waited 2 months to write this review so that what I say here will not be just enthusiasm that I just purchased a new car
So far the crossover SUV has not let me down once for a lot of reasons...
1.16 inch tires will be, in the future,
less expensive to replace.
2.I … personally feel the basic package for the SUV is a very intelligent way to look at things, less technical devices, less possible issues in the future.
3.The CVT transmission is very smooth and is not loud at all and very advanced including the MPGs are very economical.
Peppy enough for me, stylish and nice features.
3.88 out of 5 starscdt2833, 07/21/2011
2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport ES 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
Job location change increased my commute to nearly 80miles round trip.
Traded in my heavy, thirsty truck for something a bit sporty, comfortable and CUV-like in terms of cargo capacity.
Test drove several Hyundai products including the Tucson and went to the Mitsu dealer last.
Nice features on the ES at the sub 20k price point including handsfree phone integration via FUSE system, … telescoping steering wheel, full complement of steering wheel controls including magnesium paddle shifters for the CVT. Some soft touch surfaces on the dash and door panels.
The 4B11 2.0L is not a hot rod but once you become accustomed to the acceleration with CVT it is more than enough for typical driving.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, so we've included reviews for other years of the Outlander Sport since its last redesign.
2012 Outlander Sport Highlights
ES
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $18,795 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 26 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $141/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 21.7 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the Outlander Sport include:
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
- Stability Control
NHTSA Overall Rating
4 out of 5 starsThe National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverall4 / 5Driver4 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverall4 / 5
- Side Barrier RatingOverall4 / 5Driver5 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront Seat5 / 5Back Seat4 / 5
- RolloverRollover4 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of Rollover19.1%
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalGood
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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